Chapter Thirty-One
I stepped into the busy cafeteria, my mind a blur. People were waving at me, sending me congratulatory smiles, as the news of Chase and I had somehow spread throughout the school like wildfire. Words were being sent my way, but I didn’t hear them. All noise was blocked out, and all I could hear was my own breath.
“Julia!” someone yelled. My head flipped around, to face the possessor of the voice. His eyes looked serious and somber, opposite to their usual bright and lighthearted.
“Trent,” I said, approaching him guardedly.
“Jules!” someone else called from another direction. I averted my gaze from Trent to see Kim looking at me intently.
“Kim…” I said, recognizing that this was one of those lose-lose situations.
“We need to talk,” she said, as her eyes narrowed, glaring at me.
“No, I’m talking to Jules right now, sorry,” Trent said, as they both moved in on me, so I was practically cornered. I hugged my brown paper bag, which was serving as my lunchbox for the day, to my chest tightly, as if I needed something to grip.
“No,” Kim said, using a tone I had never heard from her before, “I am.”
“We could both talk to her if you’d like,” Trent compromised my lunch plans as if my figure wasn’t standing between the two.
“Fine,” Kim agreed.
“Julia, let’s go,” Trent said, lacking all accounts of fun in his voice. I didn’t like this Trent. Kim joined Trent in front of me, as I silently followed them out of the cafeteria I had just entered. Trent roughly pushed open the door, holding it open for Kim, who closed it in my face. I ignored her minor display of aggression, feeling as though I deserved every bit of it.
After entering the hall, Trent directed us to the back entrance. Punishment- that’s what it was. He knew I had an unresolved sense of fear about this place, so was bringing me back. We passed by a few students who looked… well, “out to lunch” as they say. Their eyes were red, and something was being passed around. Stoners. We reached the coveted door, and left the building, and the people, behind.
The conflicted weather was apparent as a steady breeze blew, and rays of sunlight hit my face, partially blinding me. Trent led us over to a tree only a few short yards away from the school. He sat down, his face stern and displeased. Kim did the same, taking the spot next to him on the ground, slightly moist from the morning’s dew. That left me, standing awkwardly above the two, not sure what to do.
“Sit,” Trent commanded. I didn’t object, and sat down, facing them. He inhaled the fresh air around us, and shook his head at me. “Julia, care to explain to us what happened?”
“Do I have-”
“Yes,” Kim interfered.
“Starting when?” I questioned, wanting to know from where they wanted the story to be told.
“Say maybe, I don’t know, the beginning!” Trent said.
“What happened at the skate park after Cody and Aiden left?” Kim asked sharply, her deep eyes boring into my own.
“Well, let’s see… I was screwing around on Logan’s skateboard-”
“Don’t you mean screwing around with Logan?” Kim questioned harshly.
YOU ARE READING
Back Again
Teen FictionJulia Tylers was gone for two years. She hadn't been in contact with the people from her old life. To her, they were gone, and she would never see them again. She unexpectedly came back-- back to the place she swore she'd never return. She changed...
